Artists on the verge converge for the Hollywood Fringe Festival, the second annual 18-day, multivenue voyage to the outer limits of creative nirvana. Solo shows rule once again: Full Frontal Music, James Schneider's satirical seminar on guyhood for dads; Woman on Top, Vijai Nathan's take on “boobs, Barbies, Spanx and porn”; That's Funny. You Didn't Sound Black on the Phone, Jacquetta Szathmari's dreams of the nouveau riche; My Mobster, Joy Nash's tale of wine, dine and crime; Life in the Middle Ages, Steve Ochs' midlife-crisis memoir; Karen Anzoategui's “queer transnational tale” Ser: L.A. vs. B.A.; and more, and I do mean more, like the carnival-style antics of FreakShow Deluxe and gang-warfare stage poem The Dogs of War, or, That's What Friends Are For. With hundreds of productions in total, there's surely something for everyone, whether you're a frozen-embryo advocate (see CryO' Baby!, Courtenay Grean's town hall discussion) or an unemployed dominatrix (see Hi, How Can I Help You?, Scout Durwood's sex-worker drama, set on Election Eve 2008). Venues vary; see website for schedule. Opening-night party at Fringe Central, Art/Works Theatre, 6585 Santa Monica Blvd., Hlywd.; Wed., June 15, 9 p.m.; $5; festival runs June 15-26; hollywoodfringe.org.

June 15-26, 2011

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